About the Register of Deeds Office

In 1835, the first Constitution of the State of Michigan was adopted by the Congress of the United States, which established the Register of Deeds as the official recording office for all legal instruments pertaining to the transfer and encumbrances of properties in each county.

Examples of real property are such documents as warranty deeds, quit claim deeds, administrator deeds, tax and sheriff deeds, also mortgages and any assignment or discharge thereof, land patents, leases, liens, (state, federal, mechanics, etc.), probate orders, agreements, land contracts, and numerous other instruments which effect real estate including certified surveys, plats and government corners.

Shiawassee County’s records date back to 1836. It would be impossible to place a value on these irreplaceable records containing such important data.

Lending institutions, abstract offices, realtors, lawyers, credit bureaus, and the general public are among the many people who check the recording and filings of instruments in the office. Entries are kept daily on a computer system especially designed for Register of Deeds offices. Each document has to be carefully checked to be sure it meets recording requirements according to statute.

All documents received must be numbered consecutively, timed and properly cross indexed. Documents are then scanned into the computer system and microfilmed. Our computer image index dates back to 1954. For security purposes, duplicate microfilmed copies of all documents are sent to an underground storage facility in Grand Rapids. Proof of ownership is established according to the records of the Register of Deeds. The Register of Deeds Office works hard to make sure all documents are put of record in an efficient and timely manner to protect all property in Shiawassee County.

About Our Records Management System:

A new document management solution was implemented in 2008 by RecordFusion. This system allows real estate documents to be searched over the internet immediately following receipt, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Disclaimer: This website was created by the Shiawassee County Register of Deeds Office as a public service. All information on this site is intended to be accurate, complete and timely; however, Shiawassee County and the Shiawassee County Register of Deeds do not warrant the accuracy of the information contained herein nor is it responsible for any errors or omissions and assumes no liability for its use. While the information on this site may be about legal issues, it is not legal advice.